Americans are learning, well at least I hope they are, just where the right wing are coming from, if not; consider recent events as a teaching moment. The Republicans have spent the last two years screaming from the top of their lungs "Freedom", "Big government", and railing against evil socialism. We have learnt that there is no such thing as bipartisanship; since all those Republicans that in the past the Democratic party could do business with now appear to be in the Democratic Party's big tent.
The events in Republican controlled States are giving a stark lesson in just what the objectives of the Republican party are and have demonstrated just how far they are willing to go to achieve them, democracy be hanged.
The Republicans in the House are showing the world just what matter to them most and have done nothing to assist creating jobs or stimulating a ravaged economy. They have shown narrow minded bigotry to be their guiding light. They are more interested in having McCarthy type hearings and kowtowing to the rich and their corporations rather than actually governing.
The lessons:
War on Women:
Right at the top of the agenda and the most important issue of the day apparently for these patriarchs was how to keep women barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. How to ensure that we are impoverished and hence controlled. Our health care and rights are under constant attack, they mean us harm.
"War on the Unions"
Recent events have shown just how far they are willing to go to break the unions and possibly breaking the law in the process, they are willing to trample democracy in their mad dash need to comply with their owners wishes.
"Religious war"
For quite some times politicians have been held up to a religion test/faith test, this I believe has always been skirting if not breaking the true meaning of the constitution. This was most stark in the "Obama is a Muslim" fiasco. This has taken a vicious turn with the McCarthyesque witch trials going on in DC as I type, it's basically a "Muslims are evil" symposium.
"Racism"
This has been staring us in the face since day one of the Obama administration, many believed it was dead and buried on that day. However the skeletons in the cupboard decided it was a good day to come out and play. Nobody on this planet can convince me that a white president would ever have had his nationality challenged, and even when presented with the truth they refuse to concur. No answer or avoiding the question is good enough, it is racism pure and simple that drives the lies.
"Austerity and the myth of shared sacrifice"
Tax cuts both for the rich and the corporations that impoverish both State and Federal revenues and hence their capacity to govern and provide basic services have become the bywords to a lie. The poorest now carry the richest on their shoulders, we now have a "class war".
"As for the queers"
They hate us pure and simple, we should have no rights, we should be cured.
"Summary"
They long for a divided nation where we the people are powerless. The politics they bring are purely divisive. There is ideology, there is elitism; and it smacks of totalitarianism.
I hope Americans are learning the lessons at last.
We must continue to fight back.
Updated by LaFeminista at Fri Mar 11, 2011, 09:59:48 AM
H/T SottoVoce in the comments.
A list of the other wars going on
http://www.dailykos.com/...
War on children
Although they love fetuses, once born children are on their target list. Weaken and defund education, dumb down or control the curriculums, defund programs that provide nutrition, preschool, and aid to mothers who are not wealthy.
War on the old
Although Tea Partiers and other Republican supporters are elderly, the philosophy of this party is to leave old people by the side of the road by defunding health initiatives, Social Security, and other safety net programs.
War on the earth
Big oil and other mega-corporations are working hand-in-hand with the GOP to eliminate any obstacles to their profits. They spend generously to stop regulation, and to fund climate science denial, while spreading laughable canards like "it's snowing! there is no global warming!"
War on immigrants
Although racism, which you covered, is a part of this, the vicious war on "the other" is alive and well.
War on peace
Let's bring guns into every corner of our daily lives. Let's give the Pentagon as much money as they want, and then some. Let's start wars for the benefit of defense contractors, and spread American (Republican) "values" everywhere at the point of a gun.
Updated by LaFeminista at Fri Mar 11, 2011, 12:29:34 PM
A few more from the comments
War on Education
War on Science
War on the Poor
To me these are all part and parcel of the class war, keep them down.